Self-closing container top



Jan. 8, 1929. 1,698,579 3 J. c. aalslclg SELF CLOSING CONTAINER TOP Filed Feb. 7, 1925- Jug J 6' 27 7 50 g E L g A,

Patented Jan. 8, 1929 JOSEPH CHARLES BRISICK, OF PHILLIPSBURG, JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE CANIS- TEE COMPANY, OF PHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SELF-CLOSING CONTAINER TOP.

Application filed February 7, 1925. Serial No. 7,532.

This invention relates to a closure con- 15, formed into a central raised portion or struotion for dispensing containers. crown 16 and a marginal attaching flan e 17 A general aim is to provide a novel form spaced from the crown so as to provide an wherein the closure upon release after a disannular or continuous space 18. Flange 17 is pensing operation, will be automatically shut cl nched or curled into a bead as at 19 to coact 60 by spring means which also acts as a stop or W1th the remainder of flange 17 so as to sein such manner as to control the extent of cure the disk 15 to a side wall 20 of the can. movement of the closure proper. The bead 19 terminates in the same plane Asecond object is to combine in a self-closas the crown 16 and a preferably metallic ing top or closure, a dome construction whlch closure disk 21 is rotatably disposed thereon, 65 will prevent leakage or sifting of the contents belng held in place by a marginal flange 22 of the container and in which the main zone which is bent over and embraces the head of contact between the parts will be at the 19 in such manner as to avoid projections in center so as to reduce friction at unessential order to leave a smooth exterior surface. i t Said disks 15 and 21 have dispensing open- 70 Another object is to produce an article of lugs 23 and 24, respectively, normally out of this character which is well adapted, alregistry as in Figures 1 to 3 so that the can though capable of use generally, for dispens- Wlll be closed but adapted to be brought into ing powders as in the nursery, in such manregistry as in Figure 4 so that the contents ner that the powder cannot fall into the eyes of the can may be dispensed. 75 of the baby, be spilled, or the parts of the can Located in the space 18 is a substantially or closure construction cut or injure the baby arcuatc, expansive metallic spring Wire 25 when he handles or plays therewith. provided with terminal lugs 26 and 27 extend- Additional objects and advantages will bemg at an angle and in opposite directions 2 come apparent from a consideration of the from the plane of the wire. Said wire 25 so description following taken in connection practlcally throughout its length is normally with the accompanying drawings illustratin contact with the inner surface or wall of ing one operative embodiment. flange 17 as in Figure 3 and has its terminal In said drawings 26 inclined or hook-shaped and anchored Figure 1 is a plan view of the closure with against accidental displacement, particularly 5 the parts thereof in normal shut position; in an upward direction, in an opening 28 Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken in disk 15 and its lug 27 disposed in an openthrough a complete can on the line 2-2 of mg 29 of the disk 21. The opening 29 is 10- Figure 1; cated 1n a depressed portion 30 so that the Figure 3 is a plan View of the closure partly lug 27 may terminate considerably inwardly broken away to disclose details and particuof the main outer. surface of disk 21 as in larly the spring in its normal position; Flgure 2 whereby the hand can not engage Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but 01' be injured by said lug. with the closure proper in open position and Said spring wire 25 normally holds disk 40 the spring in a condition corresponding 21 in and urges it to a position wherein the thereto; dispensing openings 23 and 24 are disalligned Figure 5 is a detail section taken on the or out of registry whereby the can is closed line 55 of Figure 3, and as in Figures 1 to 3.

Figure 6 is an elevation of the spring. Lug or terminal 27 is inwardly ofiset by 45 Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 an angular portion 31 on the spring 25 so designates a conventional container or can that the same will always be centered in the which may hold any desired material to be space 18 and the proximal end of the offset dispensed through a top or closure construcportion 31 will always engage flange 17 to tion 12 forming the present invention, and prevent the spring from exerting undue 50 which can for instance is adapted to be filled radial strain on the disk 21. a through an opening 11 in the end of the can While the main surfaces of the disks 15 and opposite to said closure construction and nor- 21 may be flat, yet it is preferred to outwardly mally closed by a removable stopper 13. dish them as shown in Figure 2 so as to pro- Reverting to the closure construction 12, vide a dome top as itprevents leakage or 55 a preferably metallic end disk is provided at sifting and enables positlve contact between crown 16 and disk 21 at the center to reduce friction outwardly thereof and at unessential oints.

The disks 15 and 21 may be readily stamped from sheet metal and as the spring is merely a length of wire, the closure construction may be manufactured at exceedingly low cost.

In dispensing, the can is usually held in one hand with the thumb and forefinger thereof gripping the flange 22. By means of the other hand or movement of said thumb and forefinger with respect to the first men tioned hand, the disk 21 will be rotated relatively to disk 15 and held against return movement with the openings 23 and 24 disposed in partial or complete registry as preferred and as suggested in Figure 4, so that with the closure construction lowermost, the can may be shaken and the contents thereof may be readily dispensed. Said rotation of the disk 21 is against the tension of the spring 25 and is limited to a position Where said openings register by the abutment of the terminals 26 and 27 of the spring with each other as shown in Figure 4, and also limited by the engagement of the spring with the inclined side wall of raised portion 16. Spring 25 tensioned as described, serves to restore the disk 21, upon release of the latter in open position, automatically to closed position, the movement of said disk in closing being limited by the reengagement of spring 25 with flange 17.

In the nursery, althou h the use of the invention is not so limite d, the self closing feature disclosed by the present invention is meritorious in that the contents of the can cannot accidentally spill or reach the eyes of the baby, alsothe baby cannot open the can, and because of the smooth exterior the can or closure cannot cut the hands in playing therewith.

Various changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A closure construction comprising a dispensing member, a dispensing member rotatable with respect thereto and normally closing the same, one of said members having a marginal flange securing it to the other member, one of said members inwardly of the flange having an endless space, a spring in said space having terminals extending substantially longitudinally of the closure construction and connected to both members urging the second dispensing member to closing position and constructed to contract and expand to directly engage at a portion in spaced relation to its terminals with opposite walls respectively at the sides of the space-to con trol the extent of movement of the second dispensing member in both directions relatively to the first dispensing member.

2. A closure construction comprising a dispensing member, a dispensing member rotatable with respect thereto and normally closing the same, one of said members having a marginal flange securing it to the other member, one of said members inwardly of the flange having a space, a substantially arcuate spring in said s ace having terminals extending substantial y longitudinally of the closure construction and connected to both members urging the second member to closing position and adapted for abutment of its terminals to limit the extent of movement of the second dispensing member to dispensing position.

3. A closure constructioncomprising a dis pensing member, a dispensing member rotatable with respect thereto and normally closing the same, one of said members having a space, a substantially arcuate spring in said space urging the second dispensing member to closing posit-ion, saidspring being con structed to contract and expand to directly engage with the dispensing members respectively to control the extent of movement of the second dispensing member in both directions relatively to the first dispensing member, connections disposed substantially longitudinally of the closure construction between said spring and said dispensing members, one of said connections being centered with respect to the space and including an offset portion in contact with the outer wall atsaid space adjacent the proximal end of said portion.

4. A closure construction comprising an exteriorly unobstructed dispensing member, a dispensing member rotatable thereon and normally closing the same, one of said members having a marginal flange securing it to,

the other member, one of said members having a space inwardly of said flange, a substantially arcuate spring disposed completely in said space urging the second dispensing member to closing position and coacting with the side walls in said space to control the extent of movement of the second member rela-., tively to the first member during opening and closing movements, the outermost member having a depression, and said spring being fastened to the innermost member and to said depression inwardly of the outermost surface of the latter.

5. A closure construction comprising a dis-' pensing disk, a dispensing disk rotatable thereon and normally closing the same, the latter disk having a marginal flange curled about and securing it to the first disk, the first disk having an annular space inwardly of said flange, a substantially arcuate spring in said space urging the second disk to closing position, said spring in the closed position of the closure being adapted for engagement with the outer side wall at said space, oppositely extending lugs at the terminals of III said spring, said spring being adapted for engagement with the inner side wall at said space and said terminals being adapted for engagement with each other to limit the opening of the closure, the first disk having an opening receiving one of said lugs, the spring having a deflected portion carrymg the other lug, the second disk having a depression re ceiving the last mentioned lug, the last mentioned lug being inwardly of the outer-most surface of the second disk, the other lug be ing of hook form, and said deflected portion at its proximal end being in contact with the outer side wall of said space.

6. A closure construction comprising a dispensing member, a dispensing member movable relatively thereto, one of said members having substantially annular groove, a spring disposed within said groove and connected to each dispensing member inwardly of the margins thereof, said spring being tensioned so that a portion thereof in spaced relation to said connections will normally abut one of the walls of said groove to limit movement of the second mentioned dispensing member in one direction and contractile so that said portion will abut the other wall of the groove incidental to movement of the second mentioned dispensing member to limit movement of the latter in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I have aifixed my signature.

JOSEPH CHARLES BRISICK. 

